Asia · Maldives
Three destinations in one trip. Three nights in Doha among museums and desert, Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle with Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Kandy, then five nights in the Maldives.
Quick facts
From
€3,499
per person
This itinerary is a starting point: we'll adapt it with you in your tailor-made proposal.
Request informationA trip for those who want to see a lot and then truly stop. It starts in Doha, with the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar and an afternoon among the dunes by 4x4.
Then Sri Lanka, with a private driver and Italian-speaking guide. The Minneriya safari among the elephants, the rock fortress of Sigiriya, the ruins of Polonnaruwa, the cave temples of Dambulla, a spice plantation and Kandy with the Temple of the Tooth.
The last part is all yours. Five nights in the Maldives, at the resort we choose together based on how you like to enjoy the sea. Dates are flexible and the itinerary adapts.
13 days in the programme
Scheduled flight from Italy to Doha, arriving late in the evening. Outside the airport the driver is waiting for the private transfer to the hotel. Check-in and overnight stay. Doha is a city in constant change, with skyscrapers on the sea, museums with bold architecture and a souq still full of spices. The first day is just for arriving and resting before the visits.
A day dedicated to the city, with tickets already included for its two most famous museums. The Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I. M. Pei on an artificial island, holds ceramics, textiles and manuscripts from thirteen centuries. The National Museum of Qatar is shaped like a desert rose and tells the country's story. In the afternoon, a walk along the Corniche and then to Souq Waqif for dinner. Meals at leisure.
Free morning to rest at the hotel or go back to the centre. In the early afternoon, departure by Land Cruiser 4x4 to the desert south of Doha. You drive among the sand dunes until sunset, with photo stops and time to walk along the crests. The day ends with a barbecue dinner at the desert camp, under the stars. Back to the hotel in the evening.
Transfer to the airport and early-morning flight to Colombo. On arrival you meet the private driver and Italian-speaking guide who accompanies you throughout Sri Lanka. About four hours on the road to Habarana, in the heart of the Cultural Triangle, and hotel check-in. In the afternoon, jeep safari in Minneriya park, or in Kaudulla or the Eco Park depending on the season, where herds of elephants gather near the water. Dinner at the hotel.
Early start for the fortress of Sigiriya, built in the 5th century on top of a rock about 370 metres high and a UNESCO site. The climb takes a couple of hours, with more than a thousand steps and the frescoes halfway up. Traditional Sinhalese lunch. In the afternoon, visit of Polonnaruwa, the kingdom's second capital between the 11th and 13th centuries, with the royal palace, the Quadrangle and the Buddha statues of Gal Vihara. Full board.
In the morning, visit of the Dambulla cave temples, on top of a hill, with about half an hour's climb. The road continues to Kandy with a stop at a spice plantation in Matale, to see how cinnamon, pepper and cardamom grow. In the afternoon, visit of Kandy, the most sacred city in Sri Lanka and last capital of the kings: the Temple of the Tooth, the lake and the market square. Full board.
Return to Colombo through the hills. On arrival, panoramic tour of the capital, through the residential and business districts, the Pettah bazaar and the Government House. Then free time for shopping at the Dutch Hospital, the restored Dutch colonial hospital that now houses shops, cafés and restaurants. Transfer to the hotel for the last night in Sri Lanka. Full board.
Transfer to the airport and flight to Malé. On arrival, transfer to the resort by speedboat or seaplane, depending on the chosen atoll. From the seaplane you see the atolls from above, with turquoise lagoons and coral rings. Check-in to the reserved room or villa and a first swim in the lagoon. The meal plan in the Maldives is the one chosen together when preparing the quote.
Free day at the resort. The house reef can be explored with mask and snorkel straight from the beach, among parrotfish, rays and small blacktip sharks. If you like, you can book separately a boat trip to snorkel with manta rays or whale sharks, depending on the season, or a dive with the resort's dive centre. In the evening, dinner on the beach.
Another day with no schedule. Lagoon, beach and pool take turns. To book separately, a sunset cruise on a dhoni, the traditional Maldivian boat, often with dolphin sightings, or a treatment at the resort spa. Those who want to move can try kayaking or stand up paddle in the lagoon, usually available at the water sports centre.
Free day. An idea to book separately: a trip to an inhabited local island, to see the daily life of the Maldivians, the mosque and the small fishing harbour. Or half a day on a sandbank in the middle of the ocean, with a packed lunch and snorkelling around it. The afternoon is for resting and the sunset on the jetty.
Last full day in the Maldives. You can go back to the reef for a last snorkel, book separately a sunset fishing trip with the resort's fishermen or simply stay on the beach. In the evening a special dinner, perhaps by the sea or at the resort's overwater restaurant, to close the trip. Packing ahead of the next day's departure.
Transfer to Malé airport by speedboat or seaplane, in time for the return flight to Italy. Arrival the same day or the following day, depending on the flights.
